Machine for unhairing and working hides



4 Sheets--Sheei` 1.

` (No Model.)

A. RWHITNEY. i MACHINE FOR UNHAIRING AND WORKING HIDES.

N. 552,628. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

|) WINT@ I (No Model.) 4 sheetssheet 2.

A. E. WHITNEY. MAGHINBTOR UNHAIRING AND `WORKING HIDES.

No. 552,628'. Patented Jan; 7, 1896.

Witnesses: l 4 dIEmJenLmnI ANDREW EGRAHAM,PHUTO'IJTMUWASIIINGTUMU C (No Model.) 4 Sheets/ Sheet 3.

A. E. WHITNEY. MACHINE fon UNHAIRING AND WORKING HIDES.

Ne. 552,628. n Patented Jen. 7, l896. A

(No Model.) l `4 sums-sheet 4.

` A. E. WHITNEY. MACHINE FR UNHAIRING ND WORKING HIDES.

No. 552,628. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

`the left hand of Fig. l.

" Niinn STATES ATENT Fiucn.

ARTHUR E. lVHITNEY, OF VINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR UNHIRING AND WORKING HIDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,628, dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed May 4, 1895.

To aZZ whom it may cmi/cern:

Be it known thatI, ARTHURE. WHrrNEY, of

Vinchester, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Unhairing and lVorking Hides, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for unhairing and working hides; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and Combination of parts, which will bc readily understood by reference to the description of theV accompanying drawings and to the claims hereto appended, and in which my invention is clearly pointed out.

Figure l of the drawings is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, looking` toward Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite end. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line oc oc on Fig. l, looking toward the right of said iigure. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through the clutch mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the clutch mechanism, the cutting'- plane being on line y y on Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A A are the side frames of the machine, connected together by the tiegirts I3 B.

C is the Working cylinder, mounted in iixed bearings in the frames A A, and has firmly secured on one end of its shaft the drivingpulleyD and upon its other end the pulley E.

F is the bed roll ,or cylinder, mounted in bearings in horizontally-movable boxes a, f1tted to housings in said frames, and has secured upon one end of its shaft the gear-Wheel F and upon its other end the gear-Wheel F2. The bed-rollF has iitted thereon and secured thereto the rubber cylindrical covering F3 to render its surface yielding to accommodate itself to irregularities in the thickness of the hide or skin, and said roll is normally pressed toward the working cylinder by springs b, interposed between said boxes and shoulders in the spring-housings'h', as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The boxes a a are each secured to or formed in one piece with an arm A', which projects in a slightly downwardly-inclined direction toward the front of the machine, said arms being connected together at their outer ends by the tie-rod c, and are provided with suitable guideways to receive and guide the boxes d d in bearings in which is mounted the apron-roll CZ', which is adjustable toward and from the bed-roll F to tighten the apron by means of the adj Listing-screws d2 cl2 and nut-s cl3 d3, as shown'in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

The inner ends of the arms A are supported and guided in their movements by the boxes a c, to which they are secured or of which they form a part, and they are further supported by the screw-studs a', threaded in the ribs a2, the heads of which studs rest upon the horizontal upper portions of the frames A, as shown in Fig. 3.

An endless apron e, made preferably of two thicknesses of fine woven canvas, is mounted upon the bed-roll F and the apron-roll Cl' and serves to feed the hide or skin to the pressure or feed rolls and the working cylinder', and by virtue of its being wrapped closely about `that side of said bed-roll against which the working cylinder and pressure feed-rolls bear it protects the rubber covering of the bed-roll to such an extent as to very materially in crease the durability of the said rubber covering, which is a very important item, as said rubber covering is an expensive part of the machine, and Without the apron to protect it from the strain of the Working cylinder .and the action of the grease from the hide,when aplived.

The left-hand frame A has set therein or secured thereto in a iixed position the outwardly projecting stud G, upon which is mounted so'as to be freelyrevoluble thereon the sleeve f, upon the inner end of which is formed the toothed pinion f', which engages with and imparts motion to the gear-wheel H, mounted upon a iixed stud set in said frame and havin g secured thereto the pinion f ,which engages with the gear-wheel I, whichis .also mounted upon a xed stud set in said frame and in turn engages Withand imparts motion to the gear-Wheel F' to rotate the bed-roll F in an obvious manner. The sleeve f has mounted thereon a pulley J, so as to be freely revoluble thereon, and a similar pulley J is in like manner mounted on the outer end of the stud G, as shown in Fig. 5. The sleeve f also has mounted thereon and connected plied directly thereto, is comparatively short- IDO thereto by a spline and groove, so as to be revoluble therewith and movable endwise thereon, a clutch-cylinder 7i provided with a circumferential groove to receive a shipper-ring 7L', to which is pivoted one end ofa shipperlever K fulcrumed upon the stand L and connected at its other end to the shipper-rod L', extending horizontally across the front of the machine near its top in a convenient position -to be seized by the operator in whatever position he may stand in front of the machine.

The clutch-cylinder has secured thereon two scroll-springs t' and fi', arranged one at each end of said cylinder and coiled in opposite directions about. said cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 2, and each has formed at its free end a nearly semicireular outward bend forming a hook with which the clutch-pin j or j engages to rotate the clutch-cylinder 7L, the sleeve j', and pinion f', according to whether the clutch-cylinder is moved toward the right or left of Fig. l. The pins ,7' and jvare set in and project toward each other from spokes of the pulleys J and J respectively, and when the clutch-cylinder, with the springs thereon, is moved from one extreme of its reciprocation to the other one spring is disengaged from its clutch-pin and the other spring is moved into a position with its hook end in the path of the other clutch-pin, and the motions of the bed-roll and feed or pressure rolls are reversed; but, owing to the yielding nature of the contact of the cl utch-pins, all shock is avoided and the reversing is accomplished without danger of stripping the teeth from any of the gear-Wheels.

The pulley E is of such longitudinal length as to extend from the plane of the inner face of the pulley J to the plane of the outer face of the pulley J and carries at its outer end the belt 71;, which passes around the pulley J to impart motion thereto.

J 2 is a pulley mounted upon a fixed stud set in the frame A, and l is a belt leadingv from the top of said pulley to the top of and around nearly three-fourths of the circumference of the pulley J, over the upper side of the pulley E and thence under and around said pulley J2, as shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement the pulleys J and J are revolved in opposite directions from the same'pulley without employing a crossed belt.

YM and N are two pressure feed-rolls mounted respectively in bearings in boxes m and n fitted to slots m and n formed in the frames A A, and arranged radially to the axis of the bed-roll F, against which or the apron c thereon said rolls are pressed by the springs m2 and n2 inclosed in the housings m3 and n3, and bearing against said boxes m and n, as shown. The tension of said springs m2 and nzfrnay be varied according to the requirements of the work being performed by means of the setscrews 0 and o in a well-known manner. The pressure feed-rolls M and N have secured upon the right-hand end of their shafts the spur gear-wheels M and N', respectively, ar-

ranged to revolve in different vertical planes but both being engaged by the teeth of the gear-wheel F2, so as to revolve both of said pressure-rolls in the same direction.

O O are two treadle-levers each pivoted at p to the inside of a frame A and connected at their front ends by the foot-board O, and weighted at their rear ends to partially counterbalance said foot board. Each of said treadle-levers O has stepped in a socket formed therein at the rear of its pivotal connection to its frame a strut P, the upper end of which in like manner engages the rear end of the nearly horizontal arm of the elbow-lcver r, the other arm of which bears at its end against the rear side of the box d, which is pressed toward said lever by the spring Z), the tension of which may be regulated by the setscrew 0".

The boxes m m, in which is mounted the pressure feed-roll M, rest upon the toes or rear ends of the levers s pivoted at S/ to the frames A, and the front ends of said levers have pivoted thereto the upper ends of the links R, the lower ends of which are connected to said treadle-levers in front of their pivotal connections to the frames by means of pivotpins t set in said treadle-levers and passing' through slots t in said links, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. '2, 3, and i.

The struts P and links R are each made in two pieces, one of which screws into the other, so that they may be adjusted in length, as shown in Fig. 2.

Hides and skins vary considerably in thickness, for most of which variations the yielding of the springs pressing the pressure feedrolls and the bed-roll to the work provide, but sometimes there are extraordinary variations of thickness that will not pass between the bed-roll and knife-cylinder without injury to the hide orskin, but with my treadle mechanism the operator places his foot upon the treadle and depresses it till the pins t reachthe bottom of the slots t', thus moving the bed-roll away from the knife-cylinder a sufficient distance to permit the passage of said thick part without removing the pressure of the pressure feed-roll M upon the work.

Vhen it is desired to place a hide or skin in the machine to be operated thereby or to remove it therefrom, the operator depresses the treadle-board to its lowest position when the bed-roll, the apron-roll, and the apron will have been moved horizontally toward the front of the machine and the pressure-roll M will have been moved obliquely upward while roll N remains in its normal position, thus separating the bed-roll and its apron from contact with both pressure-rolls and the knifecylinder by a single movement of the operators foot.

In unhairing or working hides it is often desirable to feed the hide or skin to the action of the working cylinder more than once, and it is also desirable, in order to. save time, that this operation should be accomplished IOO IIO

without stopping the machine or diminishing the pressure of the feed-rolls or working cylinder upon the hide or skin7 and at the same time without danger of breaking the teeth from the gear-wheels by the shock of reversing the motion while running at a high rate of speed. This very desirable result is obtained by the use of my yielding clutch-contacts, as hereinbefore described.

The downward movements of the boxes m m are limited by the outer arm of the levers comingin contact with the end of the stopscrew s2, which may be adjusted as desired, and the rearward movements of the boxes a c are limited by the stop-lever u, the upper ends of which bear against the rear sides of said boxes and their lower ends bear against the adjustable stop-screws u, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The operation of my invention will be understood from the foregoing without further description here.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In an unhairin g or hide working machine the combination of a bladed working cylinder mounted in fixed bearings; a pair of horizontally movable boxes each provided with a forwardly extending arm a bed roll mounted in bearings in said movable boxes and provided with a cylindrical covering of rubber or other elastic material; an apron roll mounted in bearings in the front ends of said arms; an endless apron passing around said bed and apron rolls; and means for moving said bed and apron rolls and apron toward and from said working cylinder.

2. In a machine of the class described the combination of a working cylinder mounted in fixed bearings; a bed roll having an elastic peripheral surface; a pair of horizontally movable arms having bearings in one end thereof for said bed roll; an apron roll mounted in the other ends of said arms; an endless apronpassing around said bed and apron rolls; a plurality of pressure rolls bearing upon said bed roll or the apron surrounding it, and movable radially to the axis of said bed roll; and means for moving said bed roll toward and from the working cylinder and one of said pressure feed-rolls; and means for moving the other pressure feed roll toward and from said bed roll.

3. In a machine of the class described the combination of a bed roll having an elastic `peripheral surface mounted in horizontally movable boxes; a pair of outwardly projecting arms connected to and movable with said boxes; an endless feed apron passing around away from said working cylinder, and the said pressure feed roll radially away from said bed roll.

Il. In a machine of the class described the combination of a working cylinder mounted in fixed bearings; a bed roll mounted in movable bearings; a pressure feed roll mounted.

in movable bearings and arranged to press the work upon said bed roll; means for imparting rotary motion to said working cylinder, bed and pressure feed rolls; and a reversing mechanism constructed and arranged to reverse the motion of the bed and pressure rolls without removing the pressure or changing the motion of the working cylinder.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination of a working cylinder mounted in -iixed bearings; a pair of horizontally movable boxes; a bed roll mounted in said movable boxes and having an elastic peripheral surface; an endless feed apron passing around said bed roll; a pressure feed-roll mounted in movable bearings; springs to press said bed roll toward said working cylinder; springs to press said pressure feed roll toward the bed roll; the elbow levers r; the levers s; the treadle O, O; the struts P; the

links R provided with the slots t; and the pins set in said treadle and engaging said slots. Y

6. In a machine of the class described the combination of a working cylinder mounted in fixed bearings and serving as the driving shaft; a bed roll mounted in movable boxes and having an elastic peripheral surface; a pressure feed roll mounted in movable bearings and geared to said bed roll; the `iixed stud G; the sleeve f loosely mounted on said stud; the pinion f carried by said sleeve; a train of gearing between said pinion and the bed roll; the pulley J mounted loosely on said sleeve f; the pulley J mounted loosely on the stud G; the clutch pins j and j carried by the pulleys J and J respectively; the clutch IOO IIO

cylinder 71, keyed upon the sleeve f so as to be movable endwise thereon and revoluble therewith; the clutch spring hooks t' and vl carried by said clutch cylinder; the pulley E on the working cylinder shaft; the idle pulley J2; the belts k and Z; and any suitable shipper for moving said clutch cylinder endwise, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class described the combination of a bed roll mounted in horizontally movable boxes; a working cylinder mounted in fixed bearings; springs to press said bedv .roll toward said working cylinder; adjustable stops to limit the movement of said bed roll toward said working cylinder; a

of the feed 1011 boxes; the connecting rods R naine to this speeiezttion, in the presence of pivoted at their upper ends to the front ends two subscribing Witnesses, 011 this 2d day of of said levers, and provided at their lower May, A. D. 1895.

ends with the slots 25'; the pins 1f set in said ARTHUR E. \VIIITNEY. 5 treadle frame and engaging said slots; and Witnesses:

the adjustable stop sereT s2. N. C. LOMBARD,

In testimony -Whereof I have signed my VALTER E. LOMBARD. 

